Generally, vehicle closures are designed to protect vehicle contents and allow for ingress and egress. The closures are generally mounted on the vehicle body to be pivoted between open and closed positions. The size, weight, geometry, and opening trajectory of the closure will vary from vehicle to vehicle and from closure to closure. Such closures may include driver and passenger doors, rear lift gates, and the like.
As with any closing portal, it is possible for an obstacle to be interposed between the closure and the closure frame. Depending on the size, weight, geometry, and trajectory range for opening, inadvertent contact between the closure and undetected obstructions may be possible, particularly when the closure is pivoting closed. Sport utility vehicles (“SUVs”) and other large vehicles tend to have doors or rear lift gates with large openings angles, which exacerbates the potential for inadvertent contact.
It would be desirable to detect an obstacle to reduce the likelihood of inadvertent impact. Some mechanisms for detecting obstacles within the closure range of motion typically involve pressure or contact switches or sensors. However, such systems usually require contact with the switch or sensor to detect the presence of an obstacle. Although the contact in these systems may prevent or mitigate damage, it would be more desirable to avoid any contact. Additionally, there are issues regarding where and how to position the contact sensors, thus adding to the complexity and cost of design and/or manufacture. Moreover, a noncontact safety system may enhance the perception of luxury and technological exclusivity.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide improved systems and methods for detecting obstacles in the path of a vehicle closure. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.